The State Duma is currently considering a bill that aims to ban the advertising of various esoteric practices such as alchemy, bioenergy therapy, cosmoenergy, witchcraft, magic, psychic readings, and more. The proposal was put forth by Nina Ostanina, head of the State Duma Committee on the protection of family, paternity, motherhood, and childhood from the Communist Party. (Source: Nina Ostanina)
The bill seeks to make amendments to existing federal laws on advertising and information, expanding the list of prohibited practices. It specifically targets “esoteric, spiritual, and energy services” that are deemed to lack scientific basis and are not recognized as medical, therapeutic, or educational. The banned services include those provided by alchemists, astrologers, psychics, mediums, nutritionists, and others who claim to offer supernatural or paranormal abilities. According to the bill, such services are considered misleading and potentially fraudulent.
The proposed legislation includes detailed definitions of the various esoteric professions being targeted. For instance, a witch is described as someone who engages in magical practices to influence events, people, or objects. Meanwhile, a cosmoenergy practitioner is defined as a person who uses energy-based methods to enhance an individual’s physical and emotional well-being by tapping into specific energy fields or frequencies.
Overall, the bill aims to crack down on the promotion of esoteric practices that lack scientific credibility and could potentially deceive or manipulate consumers. By restricting the advertising of these services, the government hopes to protect the public from falling victim to fraudulent claims and ensure that only legitimate and evidence-based practices are promoted in the marketplace.